Track-suspending device



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TRACK SUSPENDING DEVICE.

(Application mea me. 27, 189m (No Model.)

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l UNITED STATESA TENT OFFICE.

lVILLIAM LOIIDEN, OF FAIRFIELD, IOIVA.

TRACK-SUSPENDING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,491, dated January10, 1899. Application filed December 247,189'7. Serial No. 663,445.- (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LOUDIIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fair- Iield, in the county of Jeiferson and State of Iowa,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Suspending Devices forElevated Tracks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a suspending device, commonly called a hanger,'adapted at its upper end to connect with an overhead brace the head ofa track-rail; andit conand definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, Figure l is a verticalsection of the hanger and lower end of the supportingbracket, a sideview of thel upper part of the bracket being shown. Fig. 2 is a sideview of the main part of the hanger, the clamping part beingremovedyanda vertical section of the supporting-bracket. Fig. 3 is avertical section of the lower parts of the hanger, showing it opened toreceive the head of the track-rail. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section online ma: of Figs. l and 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a modifiedform of the hanger, and Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of theupperend of the hanger and lower end of the supporting-bracket.

Arepresents the track-rail, B the suspending part of the hanger, and Cthe supportingbracket. j

Eis a clamping part which is made separable and is then j ointedlyconnected at ornear its upper end to the body of the suspending part B.It is preferable to hinge the parts readily open at their lower ends inplacing the hanger on the track-rail. They may, however, be connectedtogether as shown in Fig. 5 or in any other suitable manner, so theywill readily separate at their lower ends to pass over the head-of thetrack-rail without springing or bending the parts or entirelydisconnecting them.

The lower ends of the parts B and E are fitted to catch over the head ofthe track-rail A in the usual manner, anda slip-ring F is placed overthem, so as to hold their lower ends together and in engagement with thehead of the rail. By driving theslip-ring up, as shown in Fig. et, thelower ends of the parts B and E will separate and release the rail,while their upper ends will remain connected together. To facilitate thedriving up and down of the slip-ring F, I form a flange G on theslip-ring, so it may be more readily struck and moved with a hammer orother similar instrument. A projection I-I is formed on the upper end ofthe partE to prevent the slip-ring F from coming off when driven up. Theslip-ring is first placed on one of the parts, which is then connectedto the other part, and'when so connected the ring cannot come off onaccount of the pro-v jection H. A similar projection I may also beformed on the part B to help hold the slipring in place.

The lower end of the bracket C is made with an elongated opening O toreceive the upper end of the suspending part B. Lips M are formed on theinner sides of the opening O, and the upper end of the part B is littedwith a series of projections N on its opposi-te edges. The part B beinginserted in the opening O and turned so as to bring the projections N inengagement with the lips M, the hanger will be firmly held in place bythe bracket C. To hang the track-rail higher or lower, all that isnecessary is to set the hanger up or down, so that the lower or upperprojections N will engage the lips M. The part B must be inserted in theopening 0 and adj usted to place before the device is connected to thetrack-rail, because it has to be turned quarter around to make theprojections N catch and hold on the lips M. The sides J of the opening Oare set Haring at the bottom, so that the hanger may swing to eitherside, as

may be required and as will be easily understood by those skilled in theart.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 5 the parts B and E are connectedtogether by a loosely-set rivet R, and their lower ends are heldtogether by a bolt S. When the bolt S is removed or loosened, it isapparent that the lower ends of the parts will readily separate, so asto pass over or oft the head of the track-rail, While the upper endswill remain e slt/,491

the upper ends of the parts together, while the lower ends will readilyseparate for the purpose stated.

VhenA an ordinary form of bracket is used, a hook K or other form ofconnecting means may be used in place of the means shown in Figs. l and2. The upper or connecting end of the suspending part B may also bemodified, if desired, as shown in Fig. 6, in which are a series of hooksorl ratchet-teeth T to catch on lips U, formed on one side only of theopening O.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a track-suspending device, the combination of a suspending parthaving its upper end adapted to connect to an extraneous supportingdevice and its lower end to embrace one edge of a track-rail, a clampingpart jointedly connected at, or near its upper end to the body of saidsuspending part and its lower end adapted to embrace the opposite edgeof the track-rail, and means to hold said two parts together.

2. In a track-suspending device, the combination of a suspending parthaving its upper end adapted to connect to an extraneous supportingdevice and its lower end to embrace one edge of a track-rail, a clampingpart jointedly connected at, or near its upper end to the body of saidsuspending part, and its lower end adapted to embrace the opposite edgeof the track-rail, and a slip-ring to slide up and down and release orhold said two parts together.

In a track-suspending device, the combination of a suspending parthaving its upper end adapted to connect to an extraneous supportingdevice and its lower end to embrace one edge of a track-rail, a clampingpart jointedly connected at, or near its upper end to the body of saidsuspending part and its lower end adapted to embrace the opposite edgeof the track-rail, a slip-ring to slide up and down and release or holdsaid two parts together, and a projection on one or both of the parts tohold the sli p-ring from getting olf.

4. In a track-suspending device, the combi; nation of a suspending parthaving its upper end adapted to connect to an extraneous supportingdevice and its lower end to embrace one edge of a track-rail, a clampingpart jointedly connected at or near its upper end to the body of saidsuspending part and its lower end adapted to embrace the opposite edgeof the track-rail, and a slip-ring to slide up and down and release orhold said two parts together, the slip-ring being fitted with a flange,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of an elevated trackrail, and a supporting-bracketwith a suspending device, consisting of a suspending part adapted toconnect to said bracket and its lower end adapted to embrace one edge ofsaid track-rail, a clamping part jointedly connected at, or near itsupper end to the body of said suspending part and its lower end adaptedto embrace the opposite edge of said track-rail, and means for holdingsaid two parts together. t

6. In track-suspending devices, having a supporting-bracket with anopening in its lower end, and having a hanger with its upper end adaptedto enter said opening and be held therein, all in combination; a seriesof projections on the upper part of the hanger adapted to catch on saidbracket and support the hanger.V

7. In track-suspending devices, having a supporting-bracket with anopening in the lower end and having a hanger with its upper end adaptedto enter said opening and be held therein, all in combination; a seriesof projections formed on the edges of the upper end of the hanger andinwardly-projecting lips in said opening to engage said projections andsupport the hanger.

In testimonjT whereof I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

VILLIAM LOUDEi Vitnesses:

Moses A. McCoID, SAMUEL P. WEST.

